Turbine water-wheel



(No Model.) .2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. T. DIDEN.

TURBINE WATER WHEEL. No. 458,336. Pate l lted Aug. 25, 1891.

1 news Pains 00., Wo-umm, wnsnma'ruu, o. c,

I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

B. -T. DIDEN.

TURBINE WATER WHEEL.

Patented Aug. 25', 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDXVARD THOMPSON DIDEN, OF ANNISTON, ALABAMA.

TURBINE WATER-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 458,336, dated August25, 1891. 7 Application filed August 27, 1890. Serial No. 363,193. (Nomodel.)

T at whom it may concern.-

- Be it known that I, EDWARD THOMPSON DIDEN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Anniston, in the county of Calhoun and State ofAlabama, have invented a new and useful Turbine Water-lVheel, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention has relation to turbines; and it has for its object toconstructa device of this class which shall possess superior advantagesin point of simplicity, durability, and general efficiency, and by meansof which the maximum amount of power may be derived from the water whichis utilized as the source of power.

With these ends in view theinvention consists in the improvedconstruction, arrangement and combination of parts, which will behereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a perspective view of aturbine embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional viewof the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the lines 33 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line at 4 inFig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail side View of the turbine-wheel removed fromthe casing. Fig. 6 is a detail View showing one of the buckets of saidwheel detached.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

1 designates the lower part of the casing, which is provided at itsupper edge with a flange 2. The lower portion of the casing 1 isprovided. with a cross-brace 3, havinga central step 4, forming abearing for the shaft 5, which carries the wheel of the turbine 6. Theflange 2 supports the rotary gate 7, which is composed of two rings 8 8,between which are mounted the gate-sections 9, which are approximatelytriangular in shape and which are set or secured between the rings 8 8in such a manner as to leave a series of tangential openings or passages10 between the said individual gate-sections. The upper ring of the gatehas a spider 11, having a central bearing-ring 12. The entire gate restsupon the flange 2 of the lower portion of the easing. The upper portionof the casing, which is designated by 13, is composed of the rings orhands 11 ll, connected by a series of Vertical sections 15, which areapproximately rhomboidal in cross-section and provided with outwardlyextending curved flanges to guide the flow of water, and which areplaced a suitable distance apart. The bars or sections 15 are in numberequal to the number of gate-bars 9 in the gate, and it will be seen thatwhen the latter is open the edges of the bars 15 will coincide with theedges of the gate-bars 9, thus forming tangent-ial openings for thepassage of water. By rotating the gate in the proper direction saidpassages or openings will be closed by the gate-bars 9 being caused toregister with the spaces between the bars 15. In like manner the sizesof the gate openings or passages may be conveniently adjusted toregulate the flow of water to the wheel. The upper casing 13 is mountedupon the flange 2 and is secured to the latter by means of stud-bolts orin any other suitable manner.

17 designates the top plate, which is mounted upon and suitably securedto the upper ring 14 of the upper section of the casing. The top plate17 is provided with a segmental slot 19 to receive a pin or screw 20,which extends upwardly from the upper ring 8 of the gate. By this meansthe gate may be rotated to the necessary extent, suitable operatingmechanism being preferably employed to effect the desired adjustment.Such operating mechanism, however, is common and well known and need notbe further described.

Attached to the under side of the top plate 17 or suitably securedbetween said top plate and the upper portion of the casing is a spider21, provided with a central ring 22 to afford a bearing for thebearingring 12 of the spider 11, which is attached to the gate. Thelatter is in this manner at all times guided and held concentric withthe wheel and the upper portion of the outer casing. The top plate 17 isprovided with a central upwardlyextending boxing 23, having a series ofthree or more radial chambers 24., in which are seated bearing-blocks25, which are radially adjusted by means of set-screws 26. The shaft 5of the wheel extends vertically through the boxing 23 and may be readilycentered by means of the bearing-blocks 25, which lat- 2 aliases ter mayalso be adjusted when necessary to compensate for wear. The boxing 23 iscovered by means of a cap-plate 27.

The wheel 6 is composed of a casting having an upper cup-shaped portion28 and a downwardly extending flange 29. Cast or formed integrally withthe said flange are a series of buckets 30, which are curved in anoutward direction, and the upperouter edges of which are connected bythe integral annular re-enforcing band 31. The vertical buckets 32extend upwardly from the buckets 30 and are provided withoutwardly-curved wings or flanges, and their upper edges are suitablyrecessed or indented to correspond with the configuration of thebell-shaped mouth of the upper cup-shaped portion of the body of thewheel.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawingshereto annexed, the construction, operation, and advantages of myinvention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art towhich it appertains. It will be seen that the upper or vertical buckets32 are of considerable height, their height corresponding with that ofthe gate-bars 9. Hence a considerable volume of water may be passedthrough the wheel, and yet without wastage, the water being directedthrough the passages between the gates directly against the faces of thebuckets, which receive the full impact thereof. As the water passesdownwardly between the buckets it exerts a very considerable downwardpressure upon the rearwardly-curved lower buckets, so that it ispractically a second time utilized. Hence my improved turbine may besaid to eifect a considerable saving of water over others which arepractically provided with but a single set of buckets.

In the manufacture of my improved wheel I provide the wheel with a lessnumber of buckets in each circumferential series than there arewater-passages in the gate. Owing to this arrangement I insure a steadymotion of the wheel, for the reason that the buckets on opposite sidesof the wheel will at all times be equally operated upon. I also securean additional advantage in this, that obstructions to the operation ofthe wheel of a size suflicient to prevent them from. escap ing may notenter through the gate-openings.-

Having thus described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is'

1. In a turbine, the casing comprising the lower section having a flangeat its upper edge and the upper section consisting of an upper and alower ring connected by a series of suitably-spaced bars, the top platehaving a spider provided with a central depending bearing-ring, thecross-brace in thelower casing-section having a step, the shaft mountedin said step and having the wheel, and the rotatable gate mounted uponthe flange in the lower casing-section and having a spider provided witha central depending bearingring, said gate being provided with openingsor water-passages in excess of the number of buckets in the wheel,substantially as set forth.

2. In a turbine, the herein-described wheel, composed of a cup-shapedcasting having a downwardly-extending flange, the lower series ofbuckets 30, provided at their upper outer edges with shoulderssupporting an annular ire-enforcing band 81, and the upwardlyeXtendingvertical buckets 32, having their upper edges shaped to the contour ofthe bell-shaped mouth of the casting, in combination with the lowercasing 1, having flange 2, cross-brace 3, and step 4:, the gatesupported upon said flange and having spider 11, provided with thecentral circular depending bearing 12, the upper casing consisting ofrings 14, connected by vertical plates 15, and the top plate having abearing for the upper end of the shaft of the turbine and provided withspider 21, having the central depending bearing-ri11g 22, the gate beingprovided with openings or water-passages in excess of the number ofbucketsin the wheel, all combined and operating substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDIVARD THOMPSON DIDEN.

IVitnesses:

E. L. TURNER, R. Goonwnv.

